Tuesday, March 29, 2016

In Defense of the Veil

This Mother's Day will mark the fourth year since my adult daughter and I made the personal decision to practice the devotion of veiling. Much thought, prayer, and discernment went into this decision.

As our anniversary of wearing a veil approaches, I'd like to share an open letter. It was originally intended for someone specific but I refrained from sending it in order to avoid discord. Publishing it now, a year or two later, as an open letter will serve to offer an inside look into the devotion - what it is and what it isn't. The aforementioned letter follows:

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Greetings!

While I am in no way attempting to change your mind, I do
feel that some misconceptions need to be addressed. Please share these thoughts
with your advisors.Wishing you a blessed Holy Week.

Yes, veiling is a personal devotion. Yet it is quickly
growing as a more common practice. In fact, mainstream national Catholic
publications regularly publish articles about the call to veil. This is
indicative of a growing interest and trend. The sale of veils is also rapidly
trending upward – something I know because of my contact with several veiling
companies.

For many women, veiling increases the full active and
conscious participation in the Eucharist. Coming together as a community of
believers, is not in conflict with also experiencing a very intimate encounter
with Christ. Both are appropriate and desirable for full participation in the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

The original exhortation by St. Paul was not
concerned with covering physical beauty. He advocated veiling as a means of equalizing
all women, since ostracized women didn’t veil. In covering all women and
uncovering all men, St. Paul also emphasized our equal but differing roles. In
addition, he proposed veiling as a sign of deference to the presence of the
Holy Angels, who attend the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Holy Mass.

Further, there are many facets to this devotion. The pursuit
of modesty in front of our God is also an important consideration. Especially
in modern times, when women reveal too many of their physical attributes, it
brings to mind the respect and God-given dignity we posses. While some may make
a negative judgment, in practice I have found many priests, deacons, and other
faithful who welcomed the respect it affords women.

Surely we’re not suggesting that women in the 60’s, prior to
the Second Vatican Council, covered their heads for modesty’s sake in everyday
life. Other than wearing hats as a matter of fashion, they did not cover at all
– except for when in the Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

However, this was
not the only reason veils were (or are) worn. Other motivations include
emulation of Mary the Mother of God, personal submission to Jesus Christ, in
deference to the Church’s practice of veiling all worthy vessels (women are
after all life-bearers), and a tangible appearance of modesty in feminine
beauty.

Although the submitted article shares my personal reasoning,
it speaks of the reasoning attributed to the increasing number of women who are
continually making this decision. Personal devotions, after all, are also to be
respected and are shared by many. To this day women who attend the
Extraordinary Form of the Mass, little girls receiving the Eucharist for the
first time, and brides – all wear veils – exactly for some of the reasons I
have given.

To those who practice the
devotion, the wearing of the veil is a physical reminder of the True Presence
just as a scapular, medal, or other sacramental evokes a rapt attention to the
Holy. After all, even though there is no longer a requirement to veil, veiling
itself is still biblical (1 Cor 11) and was emphasized by many of the Church
Fathers as an important act of reverence. Today, it’s simply a respected
option.

Blessings,Birgit Jones

My hope in making this unpublished and unsent letter public is twofold. First, I'd like to hope that any woman who is discerning the devotion of wearing a veil finds encouragement and fortitude. Perhaps my words, the spiritual benefit experienced by those of us who do veil, and a bit of insight will ward off misconception and fear.

Secondly, I am sharing because it illustrates that my daughter and I made the right choice - for us. In recognizing that the call to veil doesn't resound in every woman, it is equally necessary to acknowledge that veiling is a beloved devotion to some of us. May we all give the respect we all deserve.

Designs by Birgit

Birgit Jones is a 50-something cradle Catholic who is passionate about the Church and the prolife movement. A graduate of Brescia University, she has employed her Bachelor of Art degree in pursuits ranging from Executive Director of Right to Life groups to Field Representative to Congressman Ron Lewis (R-KY).

She has been married to her Catholic convert husband, Rick, for 40 years. They have four children and eight living grandchildren (all age eleven and under). Their frequent visits eliminate any fear of an empty nest!

Birgit can also be found on her personal blog Designs By Birgit and Facebook fan page Designs By Birgit, where she utilizes her advertising and public relations experience to promote Life through her pro-life memes.